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warheadr
Jul 6, 2005
College baseball is one of my favorite sports to follow each year, which means about now is when I start getting very excited and you should too. For many teams, first pitch is 2 weeks from today, give or take a day. So what better way to prepare than with a new thread for the 2014 season!

If you aren't familiar with college baseball, here's the basics: most teams play a three-game weekend series (Fri, Sat, and Sun) along with a Tue or Wed game usually for the midweek matchups. Once conference play starts, those midweek games are typically lesser opponents and the conference games are the weekend series'.

The goal for every team at the start of the college baseball season to reach the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. RIP Rosenblatt Stadium, but the new park is still pretty nice. I was going to go over how the whole postseason format works from regionals on through, but it's still two weeks from first pitch so that's probably unnecessary.

The past five CWS winners are 09-LSU, 10-South Carolina, 11-South Carolina, 12-Arizona, 13-UCLA. My team is South Carolina, which is awesome for me. Until recent football seasons, baseball was the only major program the school had with any sustained success. Finally breaking through and winning it all in 2010, then repeating in 2011, then finishing runner-up in 2013 was incredible to be a part of.

I know there are usually composite polls posted to show the overview of all rankings, but I can't find one yet that is for the preseason. Maybe I'm making this thread too early. Anyway, here is the preseason poll for Baseball America, which like most preseason polls in any sport isn't worth a whole lot but it's something to look at:

code:
Team 	                 2013 Record 	2013 Rank
1. Virginia 	           50-12 	11
2. Oregon State 	   52-13 	4
3. Indiana 	           49-16 	7
4. Cal State Fullerton 	   51-10 	10
5. North Carolina State    50-16 	6
6. Florida State 	   47-17 	12
7. South Carolina 	   43-20 	14
8. Mississippi State 	   51-20 	2
9. Louisiana State 	   57-11 	5
10. Vanderbilt 	           54-12 	9
11. Oregon 	           48-16 	17
12. UCLA 	           49-17 	1
13. Clemson 	           40-22 	NR
14. Louisiana-Lafayette    43-20 	NR
15. Rice 	           44-20 	16
16. Miami 	           37-25 	NR 	
17. North Carolina 	   59-12 	3 	
18. Texas 	           27-24 	NR 	
19. Texas Christian 	   29-28 	NR 	
20. Louisville 	           51-14 	8 	
21. Alabama 	           35-28 	NR 	
22. Kansas State 	   45-19 	13 	
23. Florida 	           29-30 	NR 	
24. Texas A&M 	           34-29 	NR 	
25. Arkansas 	           39-22 	18
I could talk for days about my team and a few others, about who should do good this year, who came out of nowhere to surprise last year, etc. But I'll save that for ongoing discussion. Don't want this post getting too long.

All I can say right now is, if you've never been to a college game, do it! Take a comfortable Friday night, get a super cheap ticket, and sit out there and enjoy some awesome baseball.

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C2C - 2.0
May 14, 2006

Dubs In The Key Of Life


Lipstick Apathy
Second year I've had an OP all typed up only to find another thread started!

I'll add the NCBWA poll
code:
NCBWA Pre-Season Poll 2014

1	Cal State Fullerton	51-10	10	
2	Virginia	        50-12	11	
3	Oregon State	        52-13	4	
4	Mississippi State	51-20	2	
5	Florida State	        47-17	12	
6	LSU	                57-11	6	
7	Indiana	                49-16	7	
8	NC State	        50-16	5	
9	UCLA	                49-17	1	
10	Vanderbilt	        54-12	9	
11	Oregon	                48-16	17	
12	South Carolina	        43-20	13	
13	North Carolina	        59-12	3	
14	Louisville	        51-14	8	
15	Rice	                44-20	15	
16	Clemson	                40-22	29	
17	Miami (Fla.)	        37-25	NR	
18	Kansas State	        45-19	14	
19	Oklahoma State	        41-19	19	
20	Arizona State	        37-22-1	20	
21	Florida	                29-30	NR	
22	TCU	                29-28	NR	
23	Texas A&M	        34-29	NR	
24	UL-L	                43-20	NR
25	Texas	                27-24	NR

* - records & second set of rankings are for end-of-season 2013
Also, here's a link to Baseball America's conference previews.

Bookmarked for when the season starts. Oh, and gently caress SMALL BALL!

De Nomolos
Jan 17, 2007

TV rots your brain like it's crack cocaine
I have this great fear that NC State's potential success means they'll fall apart due to injuries. That's what happens in every other sport when we are highly ranked pre-season.

That said, the ACC is ridiculously stacked and even with Turner, Rodon, and co. State is probably the 4th best all-around behind UVA and FSU and maybe UNC. An 8-team tournament between State, UVA, UNC, FSU, Miami, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech would have 8 potential regional hosts in it.

The ACC schedule keeps getting easier with all these old Big East teams coming in, though.

De Nomolos fucked around with this message at 22:16 on Feb 10, 2014

elentar
Aug 26, 2002

Every single year the Ivy League takes a break from fucking up the world through its various alumni to fuck up everyone's bracket instead.
All this stuff starts Friday.

De Nomolos posted:

That said, the ACC is ridiculously stacked and even with Turner, Rodon, and co. State is probably the 4th best all-around behind UVA and FSU and maybe UNC. An 8-team tournament between State, UVA, UNC, FSU, Miami, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech would have 8 potential regional hosts in it.

The ACC schedule keeps getting easier with all these old Big East teams coming in, though.

I buy UVA being better because that lineup, drat, and maybe FSU. But State should be better than UNC and just about anybody else in the league this year. Pity the Pack and Heels only get one game this year, and that's an out-of-conference game they had to work out just to have a chance to play. Also State and Virginia don't play, so the schedule's in favor for a good ACC run. (Barring injury, please god keep Rodon and Turner healthy.)

The ACC's been ludicrously strong for a while, about time the league broke the national championship barrier. Virginia, FSU, and State all should have decent shots at that, but Fullerton, Oregon State, Indiana, and of course the usual SEC crew will be strong as well. The expansion hasn't watered down baseball as much as it might, especially with Notre Dame coming in this year and Louisville next, and getting rid of Maryland.

elentar fucked around with this message at 05:54 on Feb 12, 2014

elentar
Aug 26, 2002

Every single year the Ivy League takes a break from fucking up the world through its various alumni to fuck up everyone's bracket instead.
Lots of series getting scrambled this weekend because teams can't travel; biggest one so far is NC State not being able to fly out to UCSB but there'll be more. Hope they can all find replacements for those games.

Nereid
Sep 17, 2009

I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar
South Carolina has postponed their Friday season opening game due to the storm here, their opening series with Bucknell will now be two full 9 inning games on Saturday starting at noon. That is, naturally, provided that Bucknell can get here.

RumbleFish
Dec 20, 2007

Cannot wait for baseball season to save me from this endless purgatory of awful basketball.

RumbleFish fucked around with this message at 01:36 on Feb 13, 2014

elentar
Aug 26, 2002

Every single year the Ivy League takes a break from fucking up the world through its various alumni to fuck up everyone's bracket instead.
Opening Day! The best scoreboard is at D1baseball.com; they update in close to real time and update to the home team's gamecast. I presume they'll sort out the cancellations sometime in the next few hours, still lots of teams trying to find makeup games close to home for tomorrow and the weekend.

thompson
Jun 6, 2006

RumbleFish posted:

Cannot wait for baseball season to save me from this endless purgatory of awful basketball.

I feel the same way. San Diego will again dominate the WCC and we got a newly renovated stadium so hopefully we can get a regional this year.

bathhouse
Apr 21, 2010

We're getting into a rhythm now
Holy poo poo, i'm livid:

https://twitter.com/aaronfitt/status/434375712179752960

quote:

Oregon State's Ben Wetzler won't pitch this week due to an NCAA eligibility issue stemming from draft last summer. Agent rules must change.

Way to wait until the 11th hour NCAA, no bias here, wonder how long they drag this out. gently caress. Guess we're starting a frosh Sunday.



edit: Sounds like they've been keeping this under wraps since November: http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/211008-68928-ncaa-suspends-osu-pitcher-ben-wetzler-indefinitely. So lovely for Wetzler. :( Fix your agent rules NCAA!

bathhouse fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Feb 14, 2014

Traitorous Leopard
Jul 20, 2009

Well we lost our season opener, which kinda sucks. Plenty of baseball left, though, and we won't face many pitchers as good as Null this season.

elentar
Aug 26, 2002

Every single year the Ivy League takes a break from fucking up the world through its various alumni to fuck up everyone's bracket instead.
Not just MSU; Virginia, UCLA, Clemson, Arizona State all lost openers too.

NC State supposedly is getting games scheduled for tomorrow, we'll see.

Grayly Squirrel
Apr 10, 2008

Thank god baseball is back. Very excited about Tulane's recruit class this year. Its going to be a super young team, but I think we have a very decent shot of getting back to the tournament this year.

Basil Hayden
Oct 9, 2012

1921!
I mostly only know Kentucky has a baseball team because it seems like every year there's an article in the Herald-Leader about how they're at a disadvantage because they're the northernmost SEC team (though with Mizzou in the conference now I guess that's not even true anymore).

Looking it up apparently they beat the preseason #1 to open their season, so :woop:

RumbleFish
Dec 20, 2007

The Gamecocks throttled Bucknell in today's doubleheader, taking Game 1 17-4 and Game 2 12-2. Solid start, especially with so many quality teams dropping their openers.

Traitorous Leopard
Jul 20, 2009

Well we handled WCU in game two - it's looking like their pitching depth is #1 and #2 and then nothing. They went through 9 pitchers in game 2 (I think, or maybe it was 9 pitchers through both games). Our starter did a lot better this go around with Fitts racking up 11 Ks through 5 innings, and our bats got going a lot earlier too. Hopefully we can finish strong tomorrow and put that game 1 loss far behind us.

warheadr
Jul 6, 2005
I believe I saw where either 14 or 15 of the top 25 have already lost a game these first two days of the season. College baseball owns like that. Always some opening weekend jitters, but fortunately unlike the other sports it doesn't really affect things too much. Unless you drop the entire first series.

SC dominated a team they should have yesterday and should come away with the sweep today. The bigger thing to watch will be the Gamecocks starting pitcher, Wil Crowe. He's a true freshman, who by coming to school became the gamecock who turned down the largest MLB signing bonus ever to do so, if that makes sense. Passed up on more than Justin Smoak did to come play for sc. So he's got the talent for sure, I'm excited to see what he's all about out there today.

RumbleFish
Dec 20, 2007

warheadr posted:

I believe I saw where either 14 or 15 of the top 25 have already lost a game these first two days of the season. College baseball owns like that. Always some opening weekend jitters, but fortunately unlike the other sports it doesn't really affect things too much. Unless you drop the entire first series.

SC dominated a team they should have yesterday and should come away with the sweep today. The bigger thing to watch will be the Gamecocks starting pitcher, Wil Crowe. He's a true freshman, who by coming to school became the gamecock who turned down the largest MLB signing bonus ever to do so, if that makes sense. Passed up on more than Justin Smoak did to come play for sc. So he's got the talent for sure, I'm excited to see what he's all about out there today.

Remember when Bryce Harper was probably gonna come here for a nanosecond? His brother Bryan did, although he kinda sucked, and it's cool that Bryce shouts us out on Twitter occasionally. Talk about a what-if.

Anyway, very excited to see Crowe pitch. He's the biggest prospect we've had at the positon in a while and it'd be excellent if we can add a dominant right-hander to an overwhelmingly southpaw staff. That kind of variety is one of the few things we've lacked over the past couple seasons, especially since our two left-handed starters are both junk-ballers.

warheadr
Jul 6, 2005
6.1 no-hit innings in a freshman debut ain't too terrible. And of course SC got the dominant sweep. Came three runs short of their biggest offensive opening weekend ever, I believe.

In other college news, #3 Indiana lost 3-of-4 to Texas Tech, which is a most terrible way for a top-five team to start the year. #22 Kansas State got swept as well, so look for them to fall out of the rankings most likely (note: both those rankings are BA's, they're slightly different in the NCBWA poll).

#5 NC State also fell in its delayed season opener today. Carlos Rodon got touched up pretty good. I'm not going to read anything at all into that. If memory serves he started with a couple shaky outings last year too before turning into himself. Dude is a beast, he'll be dominate all year I'm sure. EDIT: just looked closer at the box score and not just headlines. He really didn't get touched up too bad. 3 runs on 4 hits, 6 K's and a walk is a fine game. It's not Rodon-like, but it's fine.

A whole lot of others lost at least a game this weekend as well. Too many to list, so we'll just wait for the next polls to reflect everything. Fun start to the season though!

warheadr fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Feb 17, 2014

Traitorous Leopard
Jul 20, 2009

warheadr posted:

A whole lot of others lost at least a game this weekend as well. Too many to list, so we'll just wait for the next polls to reflect everything. Fun start to the season though!

Looks like we didn't tank much in the polls - actually moved up in a few I believe. Of course it's still all just guesswork this early in the season.

And Rodon was a terror last year. I'm excited to see how he does this go around.

Grayly Squirrel
Apr 10, 2008

Tulane's sweep of lowly Arkansas-Pine Bluff was a nice, if not unexpected way to start the season. Pitching looks fantastic. Not enough to make any sort of serious impression but we're in the "others receiving votes" portion of the coaches poll. If we can pull off the same result this weekend at La Tech maybe we'll get some more attention. Unfortunately there aren't any real quality opponents to measure ourselves against until the first week of March, when we get Cal and Arkansas in a mini tournament in Berkeley.


EDIT-

Come to think of it, the entire month of March will be a decent test. Cal, Arkansas, #24 UL-Lafayette, #2 LSU, ECU, and Southeastern. drat.

Grayly Squirrel fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Feb 17, 2014

warheadr
Jul 6, 2005
So who here wants to hate on what scumbags the Philadelphia Phillies are?

Aaron Fitt posted:

Several sources have confirmed #OregonState LHP Ben Wetzler was turned in to #NCAA by #Phillies, who drafted him in 5th round last year. #Phillies also attempted to turn in #Wazzu's Jason Monda, their 6th-rounder last year. He was cleared to play by #NCAA just this Thursday. #Phillies move is a significant departure from industry norm, as #MLB clubs almost never try to get unsigned players in trouble with #NCAA. Presumably, they were not happy that he did not sign.

Talk about being sore losers that a kid decides not to sign. If every MLB team did this every year, half of the college teams would be in NCAA limbo.

swizz
Oct 10, 2004

I can recall being broke with some friends in Tennessee and deciding to have a party and being able to afford only two-fifths of a $1.75 bourbon called Two Natural, whose label showed dice coming up 5 and 2. Its taste was memorable. The psychological effect was also notable.
Just read that on Twitter, absolutely outrageous. Phillies aren't commenting but it's not going to go away so they better be ready to explain themselves.

bathhouse
Apr 21, 2010

We're getting into a rhythm now
"Look Wetzler, you're already committed - you've made yourself ineligible. Take the deal."

Both ncaa and phillies should get sued into oblivion by Ben. One enforces the rule denying legal representation, the other benefits from the rule and uses it to extort players.

This story will get more legs and the phillies just committed suicide for trying to draft anybody from the NW. Pat Casey probably won't let their regional scouts near Goss, but it would be hilarious if he tried to show up.

RumbleFish
Dec 20, 2007

I already hate the Phillies, so this is convenient.

The Gamecocks beat Presbyterian 4-0 on Tuesday and will be hosting Eastern Kentucky this weekend. Then, of course, comes the all-important Carolina-Clemson series the following week.

Also, Wil Crowe earned SEC Pitcher of the Week for his sterling debut against Bucknell. Great start all around for him, exactly what we were hoping to see.

Real Name Grover
Feb 13, 2002

Like corn on the cob
Fan of Britches
Nebraska just beat #1 Oregon State 9-2 :smug:

bathhouse
Apr 21, 2010

We're getting into a rhythm now

Real Name Grover posted:

Nebraska just beat #1 Oregon State 9-2 :smug:

Looks like our bullpen blows. Need Wetzler back so Schultz can give us a dependable reliever.

SporkOfTruth
Sep 1, 2006

this kid walked up to me and was like man schmitty your stache is ghetto and I was like whatever man your 3b look like a dishrag.

he was like damn.

bathhouse posted:

Looks like our bullpen blows. Need Wetzler back so Schultz can give us a dependable reliever.

Aaron Fitt just posted on Twitter that Wetzler's been suspended for 20% of the season, including time served:

quote:

BREAKING: Oregon State's Ben Wetzler will be suspended for 20 percent of the season, which includes time he's already missed.

I spoke with Kevin Lennon of the NCAA a few minutes ago; he said the NCAA did not receive Wetzler's reinstatement request until last week.

edit: The NCAA has also made their official statement here. Wetzler's back on March 2nd.


Stupid moves by the pro team I follow aside, I probably should comment on UCI's start this year: Blargh. Losing the first 2 in extras (10 and 13 innings, respectively) to Fresno State hurts. Winning the next 2 in "Meh." fashion against Fresno and Bakersfield doesn't inspire any confidence. I'm not especially enthused about their chances this year, mostly because our pitching depth is minimal.

SporkOfTruth fucked around with this message at 01:59 on Feb 22, 2014

C2C - 2.0
May 14, 2006

Dubs In The Key Of Life


Lipstick Apathy
LSU's got Virginia Tech and a couple of directional schools in town for the weekend.

LSU was playing SLU the other evening and an interesting thing happened:

LSU has runners on 2nd & 3rd. SLU pitcher throws a wild one; catcher's heading to the backstop, pitcher is charging in, runner on 3rd advances with no play at the plate (runner on 2nd moves to 3rd). Catcher inexplicably does not signal toward umpire, but instead turns toward his dugout and rolls the ball toward it. SLU coach picks up the baseball....and the runner on 3rd takes off for home. He crosses the plate & SLU's coach (with ball in hand) argues with umpire for awhile to no avail.

warheadr
Jul 6, 2005
South Carolina has not allowed a run for 51 straight innings, including the last 5 full games, after another weekend sweep finished up today. The D1 record is 64 innings by Arizona State in 1972. Highly doubt they'll hit that, but it's already the longest such streak in SC history and pretty nice to see the pitchers doing so well so far, even if it's against some lesser opponents.

Also Wil Crowe owns real hard.

Nereid
Sep 17, 2009

I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar
Carolina Clemson is this weekend y'all. Baseball season is finally here :toot:

C2C - 2.0
May 14, 2006

Dubs In The Key Of Life


Lipstick Apathy

Nereid posted:

Carolina Clemson is this weekend y'all. Baseball season is finally here :toot:

gently caress! LSU's early schedule is boring as poo poo. :(

Grayly Squirrel
Apr 10, 2008

C2C - 2.0 posted:

gently caress! LSU's early schedule is boring as poo poo. :(

Ours too. See you in a month though.

C2C - 2.0
May 14, 2006

Dubs In The Key Of Life


Lipstick Apathy

Grayly Squirrel posted:

Ours too. See you in a month though.

:lol: I just had to roll my eyes at the schedule; LSU lost tonight 4-1 in a 5-inning game to ULL.

Grayly Squirrel
Apr 10, 2008

C2C - 2.0 posted:

:lol: I just had to roll my eyes at the schedule; LSU lost tonight 4-1 in a 5-inning game to ULL.

Yikes. Yeah I heard about that. ULL is no slouch this year though. We play them too in a couple weeks. This has me nervous. Especially after we couldn't muster more than a single run against Nichols State. (Although a win is a win).

That is bum luck with the rain delay though. I have a feeling yall could have pulled it out. There was plenty of baseball left to overcome a 3 run lead.

De Nomolos
Jan 17, 2007

TV rots your brain like it's crack cocaine
Planning to see NC State vs. UCLA in Raleigh this weekend.

State/UCLA is the closest thing to those excellent early season Georgia/Clemson or Ohio State/Texas football games we get once and a while. Hope the weather holds out.

If you're in the area, you should really come out. As the OP said, high level college baseball is as good if not better than low A ball. I never watched any games til my cousin got to college (played for Winthrop, so got to see them get creamed by Clemson, UNC, State, USC, etc) and it was generally more fun than seeing him play in the Cactus League or the Appy or Midwest League, since the fans have more of a vested interest in the schools. We need more spontaneous bleacher activity in baseball, as opposed to the mascot and "cheer team" stuff, and big college football fans bring it.

De Nomolos fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Feb 27, 2014

C2C - 2.0
May 14, 2006

Dubs In The Key Of Life


Lipstick Apathy

Grayly Squirrel posted:

Yikes. Yeah I heard about that. ULL is no slouch this year though. We play them too in a couple weeks. This has me nervous. Especially after we couldn't muster more than a single run against Nichols State. (Although a win is a win).

That is bum luck with the rain delay though. I have a feeling yall could have pulled it out. There was plenty of baseball left to overcome a 3 run lead.

I'll give ULL (USL!) all the credit in the world; the rain-out probably saved LSU from any further embarrassment...or the Tigers could've made up that ground pretty quickly. That's the way it goes in an inning-shortened game. But, ULL moved their ace into the starting roll for this game and LSU pitched their mid-week guy who was basically benched toward the latter part of last season because he was sucking so much. LSU's pitching is pretty solid this year, but between losing Katz & Rhymes from last season, the Tigers' hitting isn't going to be nearly as good as it was last year.

RumbleFish
Dec 20, 2007

Best rivalry in the sport begins tomorrow. Nervous as usual, but very excited with our current direction, especially the pitching staff. Should be a good series like always.

HOTLANTA MAN
Jul 4, 2010

by Hand Knit
Lipstick Apathy
Ring-a-Ding-Ding the poo poo roster David Perno left for Georgia coach Scott Stricklin just lost to Georgia State yesterday and now they're like 2-8.

gently caress David Perno.

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elentar
Aug 26, 2002

Every single year the Ivy League takes a break from fucking up the world through its various alumni to fuck up everyone's bracket instead.
First great weekend of the season: in addition to Clemson-SC, there's Fullerton at Oregon, Miami at Florida State, Alabama at Louisiana-Lafayette, and the Houston tournament with Rice, Texas, and TCU. Plus the thing NC State and UCLA are playing in, and the thing Indiana and Louisville are in.

De Nomolos posted:

Planning to see NC State vs. UCLA in Raleigh this weekend.


Worth noting: the Friday game vs. Michigan (and Sunday vs. Youngstown State) is at Doak, but the Saturday vs. UCLA is actually in Cary at the USA Baseball complex; pretty close to campus but it would suck to show up at Doak and then miss innings having to back down Hillsborough. (Also, oddly enough Notre Dame is the tournament host.) Pretty sure State is desperate to take the UCLA game after the huge and pretty freakish disappointment of the Omaha loss last year; they're holding Rodon to Saturday and pitching Jernigan Friday.

elentar fucked around with this message at 02:49 on Feb 28, 2014

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